Matteuccia struthiopteris
1 association assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.
The tightly coiled emerging fronds of the ostrich fern, gathered wild for a few weeks each spring. Only certain species are eaten, and only when still furled.
Also known as Fiddleheads, Ostrich fern fiddleheads, Crosne fern, Têtes de violon
What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.
Fiddleheads are analysed in phytochemical surveys for their carotenoid and phenolic content, which is where their reputation comes from. No human study has fed them and measured any outcome.
Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.
Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.
AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Macronutrients | ||
| Calories | 34 kcal | 2% |
| Protein | 4.55 g | 9% |
| Total fat | 0.4 g | 1% |
| Carbohydrate | 5.54 g | 2% |
| Water | 88.7 g | — |
| Fats | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A | 181 µg | 20% |
| Vitamin C | 26.6 mg | 30% |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 0% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.02 mg | 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.21 mg | 16% |
| Niacin (B3) | 4.98 mg | 31% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg | 0% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 32 mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1.31 mg | 7% |
| Magnesium | 34 mg | 8% |
| Phosphorus | 101 mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 370 mg | 8% |
| Sodium | 1 mg | 0% |
| Zinc | 0.83 mg | 8% |
| Copper | 0.32 mg | 36% |
| Manganese | 0.51 mg | 22% |
| Other measured compounds | ||
| Beta-carotene | 2040 µg | — |
| Alpha-carotene | 261 µg | — |
| Ash | 0.83 g | — |
Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.
Source record: Fiddlehead ferns, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169405).
% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.
Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.
Fatty acid
A family of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The long-chain forms EPA and DHA come mainly from seafood and algae; the plant form ALA converts to them…
Fiddleheads carry a small amount of alpha-linolenic acid, unusual among green vegetables.
Carotenoid
A provitamin A carotenoid the body converts to retinol as needed. High-dose supplements have shown harm in smokers, unlike dietary intake.
Polyphenol (class)
An umbrella term for thousands of plant phenolic compounds. Useful as a category, but a "high polyphenol" figure says nothing about which compounds…
Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.
Boiling for at least fifteen minutes with the water discarded is the standard public-health recommendation and is what distinguishes safe fiddleheads from the ones involved in outbreaks.
Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.
Avoid
Raw and lightly cooked ostrich fern fiddleheads have caused repeated outbreaks of vomiting, diarrhoea and cramping in North America. The responsible toxin has never been identified, which is precisely why the official advice is prescriptive: boil for at least fifteen minutes or steam for ten to twelve, discard the cooking water, and do not sauté them from raw.
Avoid
Bracken fern fiddleheads are eaten in some cuisines but contain ptaquiloside, an established carcinogen linked to gastric and oesophageal cancer in high-consumption populations. Only the ostrich fern is considered safe, and distinguishing the two is a foraging skill.
Worth knowing
The brown papery scales in the coil trap soil and debris and should be rubbed off under running water before cooking. Some of the reported illness may relate to what was in the coil rather than the fern itself.